A care worker selling smuggled cigarettes from his home told a court he recognised a knife attacker by his eyes.

Donovan Moore, 28, of McCreaton Street, North Ormesby, denies holding a knife to the throat of Stuart Allen and taking £170 from his home, Teesside Crown Court heard yesterday.

Ian West, prosecuting, said that Moore knocked at Mr Allen's door on Ryedale Street in North Ormesby on February 2 and forced his way inside.

Mr West said: "He had the illegal business of selling 'dodgy cigarettes' - ones that have been imported without duty being paid.

"There was a knock at Mr Allen's door and he half thought it might be a neighbour but when he opened the door, the man had a baseball cap pulled low over his forehead and a scarf pulled up."

The victim said he recognised Moore from having sold cigarettes to him on up to five previous occasions and the jury were told they had to decide on the issue of identity.

Mr Allen said the knife was held towards his throat and he was warned to stay where he was. "I definitely saw his eyes. That's how I recognised him." Mr Allen said he didn't know the attacker's name but picked him out of an identity parade.

Nigel Soppitt, defending, said: "You are confronted by a man who comes at you from the darkness and all you could see was the attacker's eyes."

Mr Allen said he remembered selling cigarettes to the man and had also seen the upper portion of his face during the burglary.